Unit 5 of 5
Extra Tools Worth Knowing
Five more tools that cover searching, reading papers, memorising, visualising and capturing lectures.
about 12 minutes
By the end of this unit you can
- Know which tool fits which study job
- Apply two or three concrete tips per tool
- Chain tools into one weekly study workflow
Pick by job
Match the tool to the task, not the hype
You do not need twenty apps. You need one tool for each of five study jobs: finding answers, reading research, memorising, visualising and capturing. Here is a solid default for each.
Answers with live sources attached
Perplexity
Use it when
When you need a quick, current, citable answer instead of a chat opinion.
- 1Use Focus modes. 'Academic' keeps results to scholarly sources, which is what you want for coursework almost every time.
- 2Open the numbered citations. Perplexity's value is the source list, not the summary paragraph.
- 3Ask follow-ups in the same thread; it keeps your topic context and narrows the search rather than restarting it.
Finding and screening research papers
Elicit or Consensus
Use it when
Literature reviews, dissertations, or any 'what does the evidence say?' question.
- 1Ask a full research question instead of typing keywords, because these tools match meaning rather than exact words.
- 2Use the extracted-data table (method, sample, outcome) to screen 40 papers in the time it takes to read two.
- 3Always download and read the papers you cite. The extraction is a filter, never a substitute for reading.
Spaced repetition that actually sticks
Quizlet AI / Anki + AI
Use it when
Vocabulary, definitions, formulas, anatomy, case names: anything you need to recall cold.
- 1Generate cards with ChatGPT or Gemini (see Unit 4), then import the CSV. AI writes cards faster, Anki schedules them better.
- 2Keep one fact per card. Long cards feel productive and fail in exams.
- 3Review daily for 10 minutes rather than 70 minutes on Sunday; the spacing is what does the work.
Turning text into diagrams
Napkin AI or Whimsical AI
Use it when
Processes, frameworks, comparisons and anything you need to see to remember.
- 1Paste your own summarised notes instead of raw text, because the diagram is only as clear as the structure you feed it.
- 2Ask for a specific form: flowchart for processes, matrix for comparisons, hierarchy for taxonomies.
- 3Redraw the diagram from memory afterwards. Making it is passive; reproducing it is revision.
Capturing and summarising lectures
Otter.ai
Use it when
Fast lecturers, non-native language classes, or group project meetings.
- 1Ask permission before you record a class. Most institutions require it, and it is just basic courtesy.
- 2Highlight moments live in the app; the timestamps let you jump straight back to the confusing five minutes.
- 3Export the transcript into NotebookLM so the lecture becomes a searchable, citable source alongside the slides.
Put it together
One weekly workflow using everything
- During class: record with Otter (with permission) and photograph the slides you could not copy.
- Same evening: drop the transcript, slides and readings into your NotebookLM subject notebook.
- Midweek: generate a study guide, run the "quiz me" prompt, and turn the week's key process into a Napkin diagram.
- Assignment work: scope the topic with Perplexity Academic or Elicit, read the real papers, draft in your own words, then use ChatGPT for rubric feedback.
- Every day, 10 minutes: flashcards in Anki or Quizlet.
Build your personal version of this workflow
I study [programme] and take these modules: [list]. My weekly schedule is [describe]. I have [x] hours of independent study per week. Design a weekly AI-supported study routine using: NotebookLM for course material, Gemini or ChatGPT for tutoring and practice, a flashcard app for recall, and a diagram tool for processes. Give it to me as a simple weekly timetable with what to do, which tool, and how long. Keep total time within my available hours and include one rest day.
Finish where we started